


Sing Softly to Me

by joeyjames (lilyandjoey)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Baby, F/M, lullaby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-07
Updated: 2011-12-07
Packaged: 2017-10-27 01:28:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/290122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilyandjoey/pseuds/joeyjames
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione gets help soothing baby Victoire from an unexpected source.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sing Softly to Me

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a drabble contest.

Hermione found it strange being in the living room at The Burrow alone when she was so used to it being full of people. Well, she wasn't completely alone – little Victoire was sleeping soundly in her arms. Fleur had asked her to take the baby indoors for a while as it was so hot and noisy in the garden. The family was rather large and the men were becoming more and more boisterous as the afternoon wore on. Hermione had readily agreed. She wanted a little peace and she was pleased at being trusted with Bill and Fleur's precious daughter. Fleur looked like she could do with a break as well.

Hermione smiled at the sleeping child and gently set her down in the little cot Molly had brought into the living room earlier. This turned out to be a mistake. Little Victoire opened her eyes and started wailing like a banshee.

"Shhh," Hermione whispered urgently, "don't cry! Come on, up you go."

She picked Victoire up again straight away and started rocking her and making soothing noises. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to be working. Hermione hoped the baby would calm down soon. The last thing she needed was for Molly or Fleur to come running in to see what all the fuss was about. Hermione just knew they would look at her disapprovingly as though she had somehow made the baby cry on purpose. She whirled round when she heard someone in the doorway.

"Having fun?" Fred asked with a grin.

Hermione pulled an exasperated face at him. Fred walked over to her and reached for his niece. Hermione handed Victoire over gladly, deciding that if anyone walked in now they would blame Fred for making the baby cry. It may have been selfish, but people expected that sort of thing from Fred anyway. And he'd got her into trouble plenty of times in the past.

"What did mean old Aunty Hermione do to you?" Fred asked in that particularly irritating tone of voice reserved for animals and small children.

"Hey!" Hermione exclaimed in outrage, "I'm not mean, I'm not old and I'm not her aunt!"

Fred ignored her and started singing softly to the still squealing baby. Hermione didn't recognise the tune. She assumed it was something that Molly had sung to him as a child. She wondered absentmindedly whether there were specific wizarding lullabies, or whether they sang the same things as Muggles. She was both surprised and impressed when little Victoire began to settle down. Soon she was fast asleep again and Fred was looking insufferably smug.

"How did you do that?" Hermione whispered.

Fred gently passed her the sleeping child.

"Magic," he whispered back as he leaned close to Hermione.

She felt a shiver go through her as his breath ghosted over her cheek. He stepped back as she carefully shifted Victoire into a comfortable position, determined not to wake the baby. When Hermione looked up again, Fred was walking away. He turned in the doorway and winked at her, before heading back out into the garden. She watched him walk away. She felt flustered all of a sudden and couldn't put her finger on why.


End file.
